Fukushima School Holds 1st Graduation Ceremony in 8 Years

Kawamata, Fukushima Pref., March 22 (Jiji Press)--A public elementary school in a Fukushima Prefecture town held its first graduation ceremony in eight years on Friday, after it was reopened in April last year following the lifting of a nuclear evacuation order.

Five sixth-grader graduating students attended the ceremony at Yamakiya elementary school in the town of Kawamata, northeastern Japan.

With all of its five students leaving, the school is set to be closed from April.

"All of you have unyielding perseverance," Jindo Saito, principal at the school, said, handing over graduation certificates. "I want all of you to hold on to your love for Yamakiya."

"We are proud of becoming graduates of Yamakiya elementary school and we will keep making efforts at junior high school," the graduating students said in their farewell address.